24 Feb 2020

Boteti sub-council chairperson, Mr Molemi Galeragwe says most schools in the sub-district are oversubscribed.

Mr Galeragwe told a sub-council meeting in Letlhakane recently that there was shortage of classrooms and resources throughout the sub-region, adding that an attempt was being made to equally distribute students in schools.

The sub-council chairperson said request for more funds to procure all the needed resources, especially furniture and textbooks, had been done.

Mr Galeragwe stated that in an effort to address some of the challenges, construction of 12 classrooms and one Science laboratory at Ditsweletse Junior Secondary School (JSS) were at its final stage.

He indicated that Debswana had built four classrooms at Orapa JSS and officially handed over to the school, which he said had relieved overcrowding.

He stated that maintenance of buildings was ongoing at Letlhakane Senior Secondary School.

The Sub-district, he said, also had four Remote Area Dwellers (RADS) hostels at Kedia, Khwee, Mokubilo and Mosu, which accommodated 637 pupils from nearby cattleposts and settlements, who are provided with food, toiletries and uniform.

Mr Galeragwe stated that council was responsible for infrastructure development and maintenance, stationery and feeding at primary schools, noting that all the 25 primary schools had been allocated funds to purchase bread, eggs, fruits and vegetables.

In addition, he indicated that the communities’ request for price adjustment for commodities like eggs, fruits, had been answered as the prices had been adjusted from P2 to P3 per egg or fruit.

He advised school heads to follow agricultural procurement guidelines when purchasing and ensure that school procurement committees were functional to ensure fairness in procurement and that all farmers within their jurisdiction had equal economic opportunity to supply.

Mr Galeragwe regretted that supply of stationery in primary schools was not done on time as the tender was awarded late, in November 2019, due to some challenges.

Distribution in schools was only done when schools reopened in January 2020 causing some inconveniences in schools and parents, he said.

He promised to prepare tenders early in 2020, so that schools receive stationery before they reopen in January 2021. ENDS